The Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves playing in another unexpected doubleheader this week, and Ryan Pepiot again was added to their roster as the permitted 27th player.
The right-hander joined the team on Thursday for the second game against the Cleveland Guardians and logged four innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen.
Pepiot was optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City after the outing but instead reported to Camelback Ranch. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects Pepiot to rejoin the big league roster in the near future as he’s ironing out some issues, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Pepiot flew to Arizona where he is “working through stuff” at the Dodgers’ training complex. “We’ll probably see him again soon,” Roberts said.
Pepiot made his 2023 Dodgers debut earlier this month in the afternoon matchup of a split doubleheader against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium. He pitched five innings, collected five strikeouts and allowed one run upon coming in after Caleb Ferguson started as an opener.
Pepiot had missed the entire 2023 season to this point because of a left oblique strain he sustained in his final tuneup of Spring Training. If not for that, the right-hander would have been part of the Dodgers’ Opening Day rotation.
Pepiot went 0-2 with a 3.97 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 10.3 strikeouts per nine in 22.2 innings pitched across six starts for OKC. He was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week for August 7-13 after allowing just two runs in 10.2 innings during the span.
Ryan Pepiot injury was more than oblique trouble
Pepiot initially was confident he would make a quick return from a strained left oblique injury, but it wound up being more significant than expected. “Originally we thought it was just the oblique, but it ended up being intercostal, up in the ribcage,” Pepiot recalled.
“It was surprising, but it wasn’t really going away. Each day I’d be coming in and they’d ask if I feel any better and I’m like, ‘A little bit,’ but when I went to throw I just couldn’t do it.
“Then having some imaging done, we got more answers and it made sense.”
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